Danville Could Make Downtown Restaurant Parklets Permanent

DANVILLE, CA — The Danville Town Council will consider new regulations to indefinitely extend the town’s on-street outdoor seating program, which began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current rules are set to expire in January.

Under the proposal, parklets could occupy a maximum of 12 on-street parking spaces throughout the Downtown Business District, the same number currently occupied by parklets serving five restaurants. If all 12 spaces are taken, the town would maintain a waiting list for restaurants interested in adding a parklet.

Parklets would be prohibited on several streets, including Hartz Avenue, San Ramon Valley Boulevard, and East and West Prospect avenues. Additionally, businesses that can accommodate outdoor seating on their own property equal to at least half their interior floor area would generally not be eligible to add an on-street parklet.

If approved, restaurants would enter into a lease agreement with the town and comply with updated standards, which include protective barriers and commercial-grade furnishings and landscaping. The town could require a parklet be removed if it does not comply with these standards, or is not actively used for at least three consecutive months between March and November.

The council will also consider new permanent rules for outdoor seating on restaurant property. Restaurants could provide outdoor seating up to 100% of their interior floor area, space permitting. In some downtown business districts, larger seating areas would be subject to the town’s off-site parking in-lieu fee. Restaurants in private shopping centers would mostly be limited to 25% of interior floor area if they can demonstrate they have sufficient surplus parking.

If approved Tuesday, the ordinance will return to the council for a second reading Oct. 20 and take effect Jan. 2. See here for more information, and here for Tuesday’s full agenda.